Pace Circus 2021

These cute kids keep maturing physically, behaviorally, not so much, but maybe one day!🤣

Since Rach was nursing the tired babe, Chasey got to wear my cameras! He’s like, this is pretty fun so long as you set all the settings and composition! (and the humans you’re shooting cooperate🤣) The wind really picked up that night which gave him a real dose of patience while Nori and I had to pull hair out of eyes and mouth every .002 seconds! Thanks for grabbing some family shots, Chase! Always much easier than a tripod!

Nico was standing there so handsomely and patiently as I was shooting the Cowells (the girls were melting down, so I had a second to turn and catch him).😍

Nori has absolutely no business almost being eye to eye with me. HMMPH. She’s been asking for a new pic of just us two to frame since we redid her room over the winter. 😍😍 Here you go, baby!

That shift from after sundown to the blue 15. 😍

Their favorite part of vacation is spending all that time with Reese and Morgan. 🥰

The dragons decided at the beginning of the summer I wasn’t allowed to cut their hair anymore. They want ponytails as long as Nori’s. They’ve currently got tails with bangs in their eyes. We shall see if they make it! Adam and I are all for it!

The bits of sand, the sunburn, chapped lips, all the scars on their faces!😍

Typically we repeat outfits or wear handme downs for pics but this year I was willing to go buy a dress. TERRRRIBLE idea. I mean, I never ever wear trends anyway, but this ruffle craze is way too girly for me. So after like 6 stores, Nori and I were super over it and I gave up. We were at Kohls and she wanted to look for a dress for Reese. Passing through their small maternity section, this dress caught her eye. I threw it on over my tank and shorts and said, this will do! 🤣 You’ll notice it’s slightly longer in the front for that reason 😬🤷🏼‍♀️ I don’t even care.🤣

They’re are going into first grade this year.😩 They’ll all walk out the front door together each morning and reappear 7hrs later. What ever will I do with the quiet!? 12 looong years of working at home with kids on top of me. I’ve finally made it. I get to work like normal people in office settings. I’M GOING TO BE SO PRODUCTIVE!!

I understand it’s hard for you to understand how dark it was when I can push my settings so far to still get decent exposures, but it was dark. 🤣

Since I could give a shiz about social media pressure, I’ll continue to share our iPhone candids on the blog like always.

Hitting the road!😍🎉

Let it be known that Reese eats as much if not, more than, Rachel. It’s truly hilarious.

We stopped in Greensboro for the night. Only a few more hours to Atlantic Beach!

This condo was for sure the best we’ve ever had. The pool alone was amazing. The dragons could stand in 75% of it and off to the left was a big wrap around 6″ baby pool. We were able to watch from chairs this year instead of being in the water at all times. 👏🏼

You know I love how the curls really come out in that salty moist🥴 air.

We walked to DQ way too many nights. They kids thought they were so cool walking ahead of us.

My friend recommended we spend an evening at Beaufort Island. There wild horses across the water to watch from a distance or take a ferry to. We had DELICIOUS Mexican and watched a pretty sunset on the docks! Thanks for the reco, Pat!

Gotta get in those leap pics!

Always reaching for NorNor’s hand.

My laugh lines have a long way to go to match Adam’s but I’m loving that you can see them in pics now! To me they are proof of the joy in our lives. 😍 He turns 40 at the end of next month and I couldn’t feel more blessed to have him in my life the last 20. This last year has been a great reminder to hold each other even closer!

Rach and Chase went on a date so when we went out with all 6 kids, it was pretty hilarious watching the bystanders wide eyes. 🥰

Snow White is always finding animals/creatures to love on.

We accidentally came upon Fort Macon. It was very educational. For no less than 3hrs we all had really wonderful conversation about the messed up way the world used to be, how it still is and how they can do their part to change it. 💞

This year there was a huge shift for us. It was the first family trip in 12 yrs that actually felt like a vacation. We did it! We made it to the other side!! What I’ve fantasized about each year as I watch the other moms casually sit in chairs and talk at the pool. I am them, they are meeee! We rested while the kids were happily independent. We came home not ready and begging for a real vaca after our “vacation.” Praise be! Hope everyone is enjoying their summers! Hanging on to the freedom of these last few weeks! 😭

Heart, Melanie